Searching for Solutions

I have a worry, a big worry. It’s a situation I think of as I’m falling asleep and the first thought on my mind in the morning. I know I should pray about it but I am stymied. I can’t even put my frustrations into words. I keep worrying. This went on all week. I made false starts at prayer . . . God give me peace . . . no too vague . . . God change the heart of another . . . but what about my heart . . . The internal dialogue got me nowhere.

I went to my monthly writing group. One of the joys of this group beyond writing is prayer. We take time each month to gather prayer requests and support each other in this loving way. When it was my turn to lay out my request I was tongued tied. “I can’t even explain why I am so anxious.” I tried to give them some details of my worry so they could pray effectively but I was stuck and near tears. Then one of those dear women gave me a piece of advice, “You don’t have to go to God with the solution.” It hit me then why I was stuck, I had been trying to find a solution on my own and then take it to God for his seal of approval. I had been praying but I hadn’t been listening. It wasn’t up to me to find a solution; I should instead dump the whole situation on God and walk away. I thought I had but in reality I’d hung on so tightly to my worry there was no room for God to work.

That very afternoon, after my writing group, I prayed again and this time it was a heartfelt, “Ugh! I’m so confused, and I really will leave this with you.” Happily that was all the room God needed. That evening a dear friend gave me a new perspective on the whole situation. She didn’t solve the problem, just showed me some options I hadn’t considered. The next day another piece of the confusing puzzle fell into play and a calm came over me. The situation is not resolved. It will likely be a mess for a while but rather than worry for weeks on a situation I can’t fix, I have perspective and peace knowing solutions will come in time. It’s not up to me to fix it all by myself.

It doesn’t matter what situation you are struggling with, whatever the problem—ANYTHING—we can dump on God and he will help us through. Try it your way for a while if you want to—it will keep you up at night feeling anxious. OR try dumping it on God. He will not drop it; he will hold your worry in one hand and embrace you in the other. He will show you a peace you didn’t see with your worry in the way.

Posted 6/28/2006 @ 5:33 PM | Weekly Thoughts